Blood donors can now help patients in a new way: Blood Service to start producing serum eye drops
The Blood Service is to start producing serum eye drops for the treatment of severe ocular surface conditions. The eye drops will be produced from serum derived from donated blood.
Serum eye drops are an internationally known form of treatment for severe ocular surface conditions, such as severe dry eye disease. Serum contains nutrients, vitamins, growth factors and anti-inflammatory factors on which the treatment effect is based.
Collaboration with HUS Eye Diseases
Severe ocular surface conditions, such as severe dry eye disease, are serious and difficult-to-treat eye diseases that can significantly impair quality of life. Severe dry eye can occur in association with conditions such as rheumatic diseases, Sjögren’s syndrome and rejection after bone marrow transplant.
Initially, the serum eye drops will be produced to meet the needs of patients being treated by HUS Eye Diseases.
“There’s a clear need for a new serum eye drop product, and it’s been great to be involved in making this new treatment form available. We’ve been working in close collaboration with HUS Eye Diseases to make the serum eye drops available for patients as soon as possible”, says Mimmi Patrikoski, Production Manager at the Blood Service’s Advanced Cell Therapy Centre.
Serum donation to begin in Seinäjoki
Blood collection to obtain the necessary serum will begin in Seinäjoki. At this stage, about four blood donors will be needed each week. The plan is to expand production in the future to be able to deliver serum eye drops for the whole of Finland, providing treatment not just for HUS patients, but for patients throughout the country.
The blood needed to obtain serum can be donated by men from blood group AB as their blood doesn’t contain any anti-A or anti-B antibodies. Serum won’t be collected from women as their blood may contain anti-tissue antibodies developed during pregnancy.
The other donation criteria are the same as for normal blood donation.
Production by the Blood Service’s Advanced Cell Therapy Centre
To produce serum eye drops, approximately 460 ml of blood will be collected – as for a normal blood donation – but the blood will be collected into a special bag and won’t be used for blood transfusions. Instead, the red blood cells will be removed and the serum separated from the blood.
The serum eye drops will be produced by the Blood Service’s Advanced Cell Therapy Centre in Vantaa by combining serum from eight different donors. The combined serum will be diluted with isotonic saline and dosed into eye drop pipettes (single-dose containers). HUS will be responsible for distributing the product to patients.
“This new production model will make treatment of eye diseases easier for patients. Not all patients had serum that was suitable for producing eye drops, but this limitation doesn’t apply to eye drops made from donated blood serum. Patients will no longer need to donate their own blood for production of serum eye drops and will have the eye drops delivered to their home. This will make treatment possible for a greater number of patients”, says Jukka Moilanen, Head of Division at HUS Eye Diseases.
